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A Complete Guide to Air Pollution: PM2.5 Levels, Air Purifiers & More

12 October, 2017 (0) Comments

A Complete Guide to Air Pollution: PM2.5 Levels, Air Purifiers & More

Last year the country witnessed it's worst ever smog. The toxic air in the capital was actually compared to a gas chamber by many. 300 micrograms per cubic meter is considered 'Hazardous' on the Air Quality Index. Delhi was at 600 in November 2016, right after Diwali. That’s more than 60 times the level considered safe by the World Health Organisation. A combination of firecrackers, burning of crop, vehicular and construction pollution caused this deadly smog.

This year, despite the firecracker ban in Delhi and other measures, the air quality is steadily reducing. This is a picture taken recently in Gurgaon.

Air inside and outside is highly unfit to breathe again. 

AQI or Air Quality Index which measures the amount of particulate matter in the air was recorded at 433 in Delhi classified in the "Hazardous" zone. PM2.5 are particulate matter, so small that our body cannot filter them out naturally. These particles lodge themselves inside our lungs acting as carcinogens and can cause serious health implications. 

Many other cities, especially in the north, are suffering the same fate without getting an equal amount of attention from the media. A larger change can only be brought about when both the government and citizens own up to their actions and act more responsibly. However, in the meantime, if you are in a city that is affected, now is the time to invest in an air purifier and an N99 face mask. Here's a guide to help you through that decision. 

Find Out How Polluted Your City Is

If you stay in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, make sure you check the pollution levels in your city regularly. Air classified as Unhealthy by WHO has been noted almost throughout the year. Here are the two sources we recommend for finding out pollution levels in your city:

1. The World Air Quality Index project is a social enterprise project that provides a unified Air Quality information for the whole world. You can find your city's pollution level there as well.

2. Accuweather app gives AQI for selected cities along with customised weather forecasts. For instance, if you have allergies, asthma, migraine, the app will tell you if the weather is beneficial for you that day.

3. Air Quality by Hindustan Times is another reliable source. 

If the AQI of your city is over 100, you are breathing air that can cause serious health issues. Here's a chart to find out whether the air in your city is clean. 

Needless to say that indoor air is as affected by pollution as outdoor air. Infact indoor air is sometimes worsened by allergens, pet dander, construction dust etc which act as carriers of particulate matter. 
The effects of inhaling particulate matter that have been widely studied in humans and animals include asthma, lung cancer, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, premature delivery, birth defects, low birth weight

 

Who Needs An Air Purifier

1. People living in cities with an AQI > 100 ppm
Even if you have no history of respiratory diseases, it is important to exercise precaution if pollution levels in your city are unhealthy. Choose air purifiers that have a HEPA filter that removes particulate matter like PM 2.5 and PM 10 which can settle in the bronchi and lungs and cause health problems.

2. People with Asthma & Respiratory diseases 
Air pollution exacerbates asthma. People suffering from asthma are advised by doctors, to not only limit physical activity outdoors, but have an air purifier running in the room as often as possible. Air purifiers filter out irritants like pollen, dust, mould, toxic gases and particulate matter which worsen conditions of asthma.

3. People with Pets
As such, pet dander is not harmful to human beings. But allergens like pollen, mould spores, dust mites attach themselves to the pet dander and cause allergies. Air Purifiers with Pre-Filters significantly reduce the amount of these allergens in your house.

4. Moms and Babies
If you plan on starting or expanding a family, you may need to be careful with the air you breathe. Multiple studies have determined air pollution contributes to lower fertility rates in men and women. In a study by The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) nearly three million babies are born prematurely each year because of air pollution. 

How To Choose An Air Purifier: Specs & Fine Print

There are tens of air purifiers out there selling some different or the other. The specs may seem daunting and confusing with every company positioning their products as the best, but its important to consider the fine print, because lets face it, air purifier don't come cheap.

Why are air purifiers expensive?
The starting price for any decent purifier is Rs 10,000. The HEPA filter which traps the micro particles like PM2.5 is the reason for this steep pricing. Air purifier without a HEPA filter is as good as an air conditioner - not worth it.

So here are the 5 most important things you need to consider in an air purifier

1. Filters : Pre-Filter, Carbon Filter & HEPA
 HEPA or High efficiency particulate air (HEPA), originally called high-efficiency particulate absorber is the most important part of an air purifier. HEPA filters out the smallest of pollution particles like PM2.5 and 10 which cause the most damage in the human body as they are not naturally filtered out by the nose. Note however, a HEPA filter in isolation does not last very long. It should be accompanied by a minimum of a pre-filter so that load of filtering out big particles like dust and dander is not on the HEPA. Choose a purifier that has at least 2 filters to support the HEPA

2. CADR or Clean Air Delivery Rate
The higher the CADR, the better. At minimum it should be 100. CADR determines the rate at which air is cleaned inside the room. With a high CADR purifier, more air in your room will be cleaner at a point of time. 

3. Ionizer - Good or Bad?
Many air purifier companies emphasize the benefits of an ionizer, crediting it with 'mood lifting' air. However, ionizers come with a byproduct, ozone. Ozone proves to be harmful especially for those with asthma. Some companies will not disclose clearly whether or not they have ozone. Do not settle for lack of information, and email the company if you are unsure of whether or not their product releases ozone. Definitely do not go for an air purifier that does not categorically mention 'No Ozone'.

4. Noise
Ones less than 50 db should be fine to use at night when you sleep.

5. Filter Change Indicator
Without an indicator, it is hard to determine when the filter needs a change or cleaning. Choose one that comes with an indicator preferably.

 

Which Air Purifier to Buy

We analysed 20 different air purifiers from top 10 brands that sell in India. Out of these we handpicked 15 products from 7 different brands after going over hundreds of product reviews and separating genuine from paid reviews.

Feature Comparison Chart

Philips Aerasense AC2887 Philips 1000 Series AC1215/20 Blue Air Blue Pure Honeywell Air Touch A5 Honeywell Air Touch-S8 Honeywell Lite Indoor HAC20M1000W Sharp FP-FM40E-B Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2 Kent Aura Atlanta Healthcare Universal 450
Area Covered (sq ft) 441 678 540 450 450 315 350 398 290 450
CADR (m3/h) 333 270 594 250 300 208 250 310 180 225
Noise db 20.5 33 56 60 53 49 47 31 60 55
HEPA Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes EPA Yes Yes
Carbon Filter Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Pre-Filter Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Ionizer/Ozone No Ozone No Ozone No Ozone No Ozone No Ozone No Ozone No Ozone Not mentioned Yes Yes
Air Quality Indicator Real Time PM 2.5 No No LED LED LED LED AQI on app LED No
Sleep Mode Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No
Timer Yes No No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
App controls No No No No Yes No No Yes No No
Remote No No No No App Controlled No No No No Yes
Price at Amazon Rs 17,890 Rs 8,890 Rs 21,360 Rs 9,990 Rs 29,000 Rs 12,950 Rs 30,000 Rs 9,999 Rs 10,199 Rs 17,299

We also selected the best products suited to homes with different needs:

1. People with allergies & asthma
2. Homes with kids
3. Homes with pets
4. Quiet Air Purifiers

People with Allergies & Asthma

WHY

BlueAir is a pioneer in air purifiers. A Swedish company, they lay emphasis on not just the specs of their products but also on design and sustainability. x` It is also Energy efficient, made from 100% recyclable materials and has no chemical additives.

        Rs 22,800

    Rs 22,699

Read more about BlueAir here.

See More

Homes with Kids

WHY

While all the purifiers in our list are perfect for mothers, kids and pregnant women alike, Sharp's Plasmacluster deserves a special mention, suited especially to families with kids. Other than having 3 filters including HEPA, CADR of 350 m3/h and No Ozone, it comes with a special mosquito catcher. Attached with a UV lamp which attracts mosquitoes in the room, the air purifier has a trap and powerful suction which sucks the mosquitoes and trapping them on a glue sheet, without compromising hygiene.

 Rs 25,999

Read more about Sharp here.

See More

Versatile Air Purifiers 

WHY

From our sample of Air Purifiers, Philips Aersense was at the lowest noise at 20 db, while on an average all other purifiers are at more than 40 db. A highly versatile product, it is suited to homes with high pollution, with pets, kids and asthma patients. It comes with a 3 filter technology including HEPA, good CADR and a Real Time Air Quality Indicator and a dedicated allergen and virus mode.

    Rs 15,999

Rs 15,999

Read more about Philips here.

Homes with Pets

WHY

 With one of the highest CADR, Honeywell's Air Touch makes a good addition for homes with pets and dander. It easy to operate and with a competitive pricing for this segment. It also has a washable pre-filter which you can clean to remove the dander. 

      Rs 20,000

   Rs 18,000

 See More

WHY

Honeywell's Air Touch Series has been chosen as best air purifiers in India in Consumer and Industrial categories at AQCMS ‘17. It comes with Wifi controlled app which lets you contro the purifier's fan speed, sleep mode from a distance. It also has a real time PM2.5 indicator. With an intuitive feature it senses the air pollution in the room, triggering the purifier to start function basis the pollution detected. Replete with 3 filters, including HEPA, it has silent operation, no exposed filters, long filter life and no exposed filters.

Amazon Price : Rs 29500

Flipkart Price : Rs 29500

Value For Money Purifiers

If you need a secondary purifier or one for a smaller room, there are many options under Rs 10,000. Check them out here

Outdoor exertion was strictly prohibited to everyone after the Great Smog of Delhi last year. But if you're a runner, we feel your pain. One cannot just quit going for the daily run. Running and any other outdoor workout requires you to consume more oxygen than when your body is at rest. Naturally, you end up breathing more polluted air than otherwise. To keep yourself healthy, it's hence very important to wear a face mask with the N99 certification which is the only mask type that can filter out particulate matter (PM2.5)

See our N99 Pollution Mask Collection here

 

 

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